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Friday, March 2, 2018

Soup for Chilly Winter Evenings

Winter weather has finally come to Southern California and chilly evenings always make me think of soup. Everyone who knows me understands I do not like to
cook but I do like to eat healthy food. I have two easy "go-to" soups
that I like to make every couple of months. They are very similar - I
just change up the seasonings - and I can freeze them to pull out for
simple dinners and lunches.

I really do not like to
follow a recipe. I guess I just feel like it takes too much time to
measure everything. Here is how I make lentil or split pea soup.

1 bag gray green lentils OR split peas
1 potato - leave the peel on if you use organic
1 onion, sliced in chunks
Some chopped garlic
a handful of baby carrots
salt - about a teaspoon

I
fill the big pot about 3/4 full of water and dump everything in. I know
the cooks out there are gasping in horror. But you like to cook and I
don't and this actually does work.

I bring it to a boil and simmer it for about 40 minutes. You just want to make sure the vegetables and lentils are soft.

Then
I add seasoning. Sometimes I want a curry flavor. Last time I had fresh
savory. You could try sage or thyme. What flavor does your family like?
I always add fresh ground pepper.

Put a couple of cups
of the soup in a blender. Put the lid on, leave the center section off
and cover with a clean cloth, then blend the soup. Pour into a second
bowl or container. Do this until all the soup is smooth. If you have an
immersion blender, use that.

Divide into BPA-free
plastic containers according to how you will use it. I usually fill one
large container for a dinner and then divide the rest into single
servings for lunches. Label the container. It might not be recognizable
in the freezer.

To use, take it out of the freezer the
night before, thaw in refrigerator. Pour/dump the soup into a saucepan
and heat on low. You can microwave, if you want. You might want to add
more water if it seems too thick. Taste it to see if it needs more salt.
Easy dinner prep! Serve with whole wheat pita, rolls or cornbread.

Vegan, no cholesterol, no oil, low sodium, gluten-free, dairy-free - and easy. What more could you ask?